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Got a wooden garden bench (ash, I think) which had a wax or oil finish. Over the years, water has got under the finish so it is now stained grey in places. Had it indoors for last 6 months, so it’s currently totally dried out.
Before I put it back out, I want to re-finish it. what’s the best way to strip it back before applying teak oil (or something else)? Solvent of some kind? Really don’t want to get the sander out...
Pressure washer/jet wash for garden furniture. If the old varnish is knackered it’ll lift it off. Maybe a quick blast with a sander afterwards, but only to tickle if.
Depends upon how nice you want it to look.
Any reapplication of protection finish will appreciate a light sand at the very least to open up the grain on the grey exposed bits of wood and provide a key on the areas where the original finish is still good
The grey stained areas after sanding will accept an oil finish, either teak oil or Danish oil would be my suggestion, although if you choose to only lightly sand, the aesthetic will be non uniform and the grey areas will finish darker and hence a piebald look. So you may wish to sand a little more vigorously on these bits.
Or.... and here comes the good bit... get some oxalic acid crystals and wash the bench in the dilute solution and leave to dry. These will remove the grey patina and restore most of the original natural colour of the wood. Not all that effective on the existing oil finish for surface prep, but you could always see how it goes.
With that last point, By not sanding the existing finish, the new oil won't adhere particularly well on any of it and has the potential to cause more work next time you want to add further protection.
For the perfectionist, get a scraper and then sander 😉
HTH
Scrub, sand, very light solution of bleach will get rid of the grey bits.
Good oil.
Basic oils like teak and danish won't protect against UV, and require a good deal of work and some degree of knowledge to apply properly, not to mention quite a bit of time initially and in future maintenance. Try something like Osmo Natural Oil Woodstain - quick/easy to apply and to very low maintenance.
Ok, thanks guys 😊